


War Dogs and Shovel Tricks (REVISED)

by Doomsayer (owwfeels)



Series: Crash/Burn/Repeat [2]
Category: Far Cry 5
Genre: Angst, Canon-Typical Violence, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, One-Sided Attraction, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-26
Updated: 2020-02-26
Packaged: 2021-02-27 20:40:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 9,145
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22901860
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/owwfeels/pseuds/Doomsayer
Summary: "Cain came home from one war in pieces... He takes a job with the Hope County Sherriff's Department with the promise that the work would be quiet and low stress because "nothing bad ever happens in Hope County"... But all of that goes up in smoke when one of the Seed Brother's takes his congregation to the extreme..."
Relationships: Jacob Seed/Original Male Character(s), Staci Pratt/Original Male character (one sided)
Series: Crash/Burn/Repeat [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1037063
Comments: 1
Kudos: 15





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A revised version of my story... the story has changed some (for the better I hope) and I hope to continue where I left off previously)

“Is this Mr. Pratt?” the voice on the phone seemed rigid and... formal. He sighed as he rubbed at his temples and prayed it wasn’t another bill collector.   
  
“Speaking…” Pratt was still wrapped in a towel after scrambling out of the shower to answer his phone.   
  
“Mr. Pratt I am calling from the Missoula County Veterans Hospital on behalf of a Mr. Cain Garrison. You are his emergency contact,” Staci felt his heart drop into his shoes. He had been writing to Cain off and on over the 10 years he was deployed overseas. But, thinking about it now, he hadn’t seen anything in months. Pratt hadn’t put two and two together until then.   
  
“I-is he all right? Is Cain alive?”   
  
“I’m afraid that kind of information can’t be given over the phone, sir. We have a Sergeant and Doctor here that will explain everything to you. Can you be here at 3pm this afternoon?” the woman’s saccharine sweet voice made him nauseous. And her avoidance of any actual information had his heart pounding.    
  
“Y-yes… Of course I can.”   
  
“The staff will be gathering in conference room 308. It’s on the 3rd floor to the left of the elevators. You have yourself a nice day now Mr. Pratt,” never had that meant less to him in his entire life. How could he have a nice day after that vague and disquieting phone call. His best friend was dead and she wants him to have a nice day. Pratt threw the phone across the room and it shattered as he stormed off to his bedroom to get dressed. He nearly jumped out of his skin as the doorbell rang. By the time he’d open the door the mailman was already climbing into his truck and driving off.   
  
He froze as he looked down at the stack of mail in his hands. On the top of the messy pile of junk flyers and overdue bills was a letter from Cain. But he immediately could tell the address wasn’t in his friend’s handwriting. He crumpled into the floor as he opened the letter and read it as his eyes filled with tears.    
  
‘ _ Dear Staci, _ _   
_ _ If you’re reading this then it’s not likely I’ll be coming home, and I’m sorry that this is how you’re finding out. I wanted to apologize Stace. I’m so sorry for the things I said to you before I left. I was… Jealous. And I had been jealous for a while.  _ _   
_ _   
_ _ I… Ever since we were kids I knew. I knew when I told you I was leaving for deployment. When I insisted that you stay with (ah shit I don’t even remember that asshole’s name anymore. I hope you’re not still with him… He was a dick Staci) I just- I wanted you to be happy... so I left. _ ’   
  
Pratt sobbed. This was Cain’s last wishes… and they’d been sent to him. Cain had chosen him. The words were starting to blur as his tears dropped on the paper but he kept reading.    
  
_ ‘I left so you could be with your boyfriend and my jealousy wouldn’t impose on your relationship. But fuck if I didn’t want to punch that little weasel in the face Staci. I loved you so… so much. Even then … even way back in middle school. I just- I didn’t know what I was feeling. I was fucking stupid Stace. I know this is the worst fucking time to tell you this. But I don’t want to die in this sandy fucking hell hole without telling you.  _ _   
_ _   
_ _ I love you Staci Pratt. And I want you to be happy. Even if that’s without me ok? Don’t… don’t be all fucking dramatic and be all ‘woe is me my best friend died’ ok? Cut that shit.’ _ _   
_ _   
_ He nearly dropped the letter as he snorted. Leave it to Cain to be so crass and blunt about the whole thing. But that was his best friend: Blunt and spiky but also endearing. Staci wiped at his eyes as he flattened the letter on his dining room table. The edges of it were soft and rumpled from his sweaty hands.    
_   
_ _ ‘We’re driving out to overtake a base tonight. And… I hope this makes it to you before you get the call I didn’t make it. I didn’t want you to find out like that. I don’t have much to my name. But whatever is left is yours ok? Don’t let that shitty ass boyfriend of yours look through my shit. And take care of yourself or I’ll haunt your ass Staci Pratt. _ _   
_ _   
_ _ Love, _ _   
_ _ Cain  _

Staci couldn’t hold the letter any longer, crumbling into a pile on the floor, sobbing. He laid there for a long time and stared at the dusty underside of his kitchen table. He sprang up as he heard a key jiggling in the front door, cracking his forehead as he rushed to open the door, and didn't make it in time.    
  
“Good mornin’ sunshine,” Hudson pushed her way in and stuck the house key he’d given her in her pocket. She plopped down on his couch; she was laughing, double fisting two cups of coffee, hand holding one out for him.    
  
“Earth to Staci?” she was in his face now, waving a hand back and forth.    
  
“Cain… I think Cain is dead. I… I got his last wishes this morning and someone from the Veterans Office called me too. She said I needed to speak with them in person about Cain. The letter arrived shortly after…” he was trembling so hard Hudson could hear his teeth chattering against each other. 

__ _   
_


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Staci is confronted with the reality of what happened to Cain... and what that means for him.

“Oh... Pratt,” Joey sat the coffee down on the table and coaxed him down to sit beside her on the couch. He reluctantly sat down beside her and stared at the front door with a blank look on his face. As soon as Joey pulled him against her chest Pratt just dissolved into a mess of tears.   
  
“It…. it’s my fault,” he croaked as he nuzzled his nose against her deputy jacket and whimpered.   


“It isn’t your fault Staci...” she softly rubbed his back as he struggled to find the words to express what he was feeling.   
  


“He left because I started dating Alex. He left because... “ he couldn’t finish his thought. He couldn’t admit that he was the reason Cain had enlisted. That was the reason his friend had been killed.   
  


“Sssh…. It’s ok,” she had nearly pulled him into her lap and was gently rocking him. Staci snuffled and sat up, shakily getting to his feet before handing her the letter to read… so that she could understand what happened. Hudson teared up as she read it, remembering how fondly Staci had spoken of Cain. Remembered how her partner’s face used to light up even just mentioning his best friend.   
  


“I need to go…” he jerked up suddenly, realizing it was almost 2:00pm and he was supposed to be at the hospital at 3:00pm.   
  
“Woah there probie… you’re in no shape to drive. Where do you need to go?” he felt a hand tug at his wrist as he plopped back down on the couch reluctantly.   
  


“They have arranged for me to speak with some doctors and officers at the hospital regarding Cain…. I assume we’re going to be discussing burial shit…” his throat tightened as he whined.   
  
“Get your jacket and get in the squad car. I’ll drive you,” Hudson smiled and hulled him up as she moved towards the door. “Come on probie. Double time.”   
  
Staci felt like he was trudging through molasses… the walk to his bedroom seeming impossibly long. The weight of his jacket on his shoulders like anvils. He tried counting mile markers as Joey drove. Tried to distract himself from the inevitable.   
  
“I’ll be waiting right here when you’re done. Just shoot me a text ok?” he nodded meekly as he moved through the glossy double doors. The hospital stunk of antiseptic and seemed to intensify the closer he got to he conference room. It was apparently located on the same floor as the ICU.   
  
“Mr. Pratt, good afternoon,” the doctor at the head of the conference table greeted him as he pushed the door open, revealing a team of nurses, doctors, and a few men in army uniforms.   
“Please take a seat and we’ll get started.”   
  
Staci sank down into the chair at the end of the table numbly, not entirely sure what exactly was going on… but a room for a people was not what he was expecting. Papers were shuffled around as he was handed a leather folder full of various medical papers and what looked like contracts. “I know a lot of this is overwhelming young man, but we’ll work through this at your pace so you can better understand Mr. Garrison’s condition.”   
  
“Is… Is Cain alive?” he felt the whole room visibly recoil at his question and he wasn’t sure what to make of why they reacted in such a way.   
  
“No one told you prior to your arrival?” one of the nurses to his left spoke up and he jumped at the sound of her voice.   
  
“No… Th-the woman on the phone said she couldn’t tell me anything over the phone and that I needed to … that…” his very brief resolve seemed to crumble and he buried his face in his hands as one of the nurses moved to console him.   
  
“My apologies Mr. Pratt… Cain is stable at the moment. He has been in a drug induced coma for the last couple months in order for us to better treat his injuries,” the lead doctor explained and looked over to one of the officers.   
  
“Sergeant Garrison was escorting his troops when his humvee was attacked with a roadside RPG. The humvee incapacitated and Sergeant Garrison was thrown from the vehicle initially. He then crawled back into the burning vehicle to pull his fellow men from the wreckage. He was able to free the rest of his men before the humvee exploded. Sgt. Cain suffered severe injuries as a result. 40% burns along the right side of his body and a transfemoral amputation of the right leg,” the officer was reading from what looked to be Cain’s medical chart. He pushed the document across the table so that Staci could read through it himself.   
  
“Sgt. Garrison is going to need someone with him to assist with mobility and self care for these next few months while he recovers.And he has indicated that you are the person he would like to be responsible for arranging that,” another woman spoke up to the right of the doctor.   
  
“Anything he needs,” Staci croaked, completely overwhelmed by all of the information they had thrown at him. “Can...can I see him?”   
  
“Of course. We just need you to sign a few papers agreeing to Sgt. Garrison’s at-home care. We’ve arranged for a nurse to visit once a day to assist with giving medications and show you how to change bandages,” multiple pieces of paper were put in front of him. Agreeing to care for Cain, agreeing to allow the nurse and medical officers into his home…. He signed all of it. He would do anything to make sure his best friend was ok.   
  
“If you’ll follow me… Sgt. Cain is in a room just down the hall,” Staci followed along in silence, his stomach in knots as they stopped next to to the double doors that led into the burn unit.   
  
“You’ll need these,” she pushed a sickly yellow gown and a mask into his hands. “Burns are very susceptible to infection. We like to try and reduce that risk,” he just nodded, the sharp ache in his chest seeming to bloom as moved into Cain’s room and he took in all the beeping machines and tubes. He looked so small in the bed. There were tubes down his throat and multiple IV’s hooked up to his left arm. Most of the right side of his body was swaddled with bandages.  
  


“We’ve started weaning him off most of the stronger sedatives. We’re hoping to have him off the ventilator at the end of the week. He should be ready to head home in a couple weeks. It’ll give us enough time to get your house set up and everything,” the nurse smiled and patted his shoulder. “Go on… he can hear you.” 

“H-hey…” Staci slid a chair up to the left side of the bed and took Cain’s hand, feeling the warmth and smiling slightly. “It… it’s been a while since I’ve seen you. I missed you. I… I got your letter,” he hiccuped and nuzzled his face against the rough hospital blanket.    
  
“I’m sorry Cain…. I’m sorry I never realized… And Alex. I-I started dating him because he reminded me of you,” he laughed and snuffled at the same time. “It was stupid… but I guess you probably realized ...I never wanted to lose you Cain. You are my best friend and I love you,” he softly rubbed his thumb along the back of Cain’s hand and sobbed. He would love to just blame it on being young and dumb… But Staci knew he had feelings for his best friend even before Cain had moved in with his family at fifteen years old. 

Their sophomore year of high school was when everything changed. Cain’s parents were killed in a car accident and, because their families had been so close, he was allowed to move in with the Pratt family. They started sharing a room, spending most of their time together, and looking back Staci felt like an idiot for not realizing it sooner. “I’m an idiot Cain… I should have realized how you felt… I should have realized …”    
  
“I just…. I never thought you would be interested in me. I thought you were straight honestly,” he laughed and nuzzled his face against Cain’s hand. “Alex dumped me a couple years after we started dating. He… he was mad that I kept writing to you. Accused me of cheating on him with you… ironic huh.”    
  
Staci leaned back in his chair with a sigh. The room was a chorus of machine beeps and the ventilator. He rubbed at his face and stood up. He didn’t want to leave Cain’s side but … he needed to get his house set up and didn’t want to leave Hudson sitting out in the car.    
  
“I’m going to fix this Cain… I promise,” he leaned over and kissed his friend’s forehead in a comforting way before he walked back out to the car.   
  
“Well?” Joey still had the car running when Pratt finally returned.   
  
“Cain… He’s alive. He crawled into a burning humvee to save his men. Fucked him up pretty good. 40% burns on the right side of his body and I think… I think he lost his right leg too. ‘Transfemoral Amputation’ on his right leg.”   
  
“Shit …” she frowned and started the car, unsure of what would even help.    


“He… He had me down as his emergency contact. He’s going to come and live with me while he recovers.”   
  
“That’s good though right?” Joey had slowly started to pull out of the parking garage as Pratt spoke.   
  
“It is… It’s great. I just- feel like if I had realized… maybe he wouldn’t have enlisted.” When Hudson didn’t respond to him he looked over at her and saw her disapproving stare.    
  


“That kind of thinking isn’t going to do anyone any good. You just gotta focus on now and getting him back to his old self,” Hudson smiled and patted his shoulder as they pulled up to the house.   
  
“Take the next couple days off. I’ll let Earl know what’s going on. We’ll work it out once Cain comes home ok?” Staci nodded as he forced himself onto his feet and closed the car door behind him.   
  
“Thanks for driving me Hudson.”   
  
“I got your back probie,” she grinned before she drove off and left him standing on his front step.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cain coming home doesn't exactly play out how Staci had expected...

“Good morning Officer Pratt sir,” a young cadet had knocked on his door a couple weeks later, the loud beeping of a truck backing in rattling around in his brain as he tried to rub the sleep from his eyes. “We’re here with medical equipment and supplies for Sgt. Cain?”   
  
“Oh yeah- of course. I cleared out the bedroom for him. It’s straight back through this way, the door is open,” Pratt yawned and pointed to where his bedroom was.   
  
“Thank you sir. We should be in and out in 30 minutes sir,” he gave a curt nod and returned to the truck as the door slid open. Staci, however, went back to his coffee pot and nursed two cups of it until he felt like a functioning human again. His nerves were shot and he hadn’t slept well since the hospital. It had taken him almost a week to work up the courage to visit again, and the last time he’d been there Cain was awake but doped up on pain meds.   
  
~~  
 _“He’s sitting up and talking today. We’ve got him on some pretty strong pain medication so Sgt. Garrison is a little out of it,” the nurse had stopped him before he’d ventured into the room. Cain had been moved down from the burn unit into the ICU. No more gowns and surgical masks._ _  
_ _  
_ _“Thanks,” Staci mumbled awkwardly as he pushed the door open. Cain was indeed sitting up in bed, a white styrofoam cup with a straw in his hands as he drank from it. “H-hey.”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“Stace!?” he’d nearly dropped his cup before Pratt grabbed it for him. “Fuck man this must be some good shit if I’m hallucinating you dude…” he giggled and went back to sipping at his drink. “ Maybe I’m actually dead… Is this heaven?”_ _  
_ _  
_ _Staci smiled and pulled his usual chair up as he plopped into it and offered his hand to Cain. “You’re not dead you idiot. And I’m really here.”_ _  
__  
__“How…?” he seemed bewildered as he took Pratt’s hand and squeezed it softly, turning it over to look at it and rub it softly with his fingers._

_   
_ _ “Well apparently some idiot made me their emergency contact and then went and got himself blown up… _ ”  _ Staci pushed down the tears that were threatening to fall when Cain laughed again. _ _   
_ _   
_ _ “Something like that,” he nodded and patted his friend’s hand before a somber look crossed his face. “I thought… I thought I was going to die out there Staci. I thought- Did you get my letter?” all of the color seemed to drain from Cain’s face as he realized the possibility that Staci had seen his letter. That Staci knew how he really felt.  _ _   
_ _   
_ _ “Letter?” he played dumb. It would be better to talk about this when Cain was of a sound mind and in a better place to really talk about it.  _ _   
_ _   
_ _ “Oh man… Staci you won’t even believe the sappy shit I wrote in there. I was so gay for you when I was younger,” _ _ Staci flinched at the comment and Cain noticed. “You did get my letter didn’t you you asshole? Why would you fucking lie?”  _ _   
_ _   
_ _ “Cain … it’s not… I didn’t want to talk about this until you were home. I didn’t want to upset you-” _ _   
_ _   
_ _ “Upset me?” the cup bounced off the wall and spilled water everywhere. “And you thought lying would be better??” he was struggling to throw the covers off now, trying to get up, trying to get away … but his body wasn’t cooperating. One of the IVs had ripped out and there were alarms going off. Staci whimpered as he was pushed out of the room and nurses flooded in. _   
~~   
  
“All set up sir. The walking aides are in your closet, and we have also set your bathroom up to better accommodate,” the cadet from earlier, now slightly sweaty and panting, explained. He flinched at the man’s voice as he remembered that last visit to the hospital. He hadn’t gone back after that… and today would be the first time he’d seen Cain in the two weeks since. 

“A nurse will bring Sergeant Cain in a couple hours to help get him settled and explain all his needs to you. She’ll be on stand-by if you need her in an emergency as well,” Staci just nodded, not fully processing everything. He swore he didn’t even breathe until the movers had driven away and he was sitting in his best friend’s new room. The hospital bed was now sitting in the middle of his old bedroom, the closet filled with boxed of medical supplies. He peeked his head into the bathroom and found more mobility things in there.    
  
He spent the next few hours cleaning up the house. Making sure all of the walkways to and from the bedroom were wide enough for the walker or a wheelchair. He straightened up and organized the boxes of gauze and bandage supplies in the bathroom and washed some extra blankets for the bed. When he finally heard the knock at his front door Staci’s knees almost gave out. He felt like his front door was made of led as he pulled it open.    
  
“Good afternoon Mr. Pratt,” a cheery nurse in bright pink scrubs smiled up at him.    
  
“Afternoon,” he nodded and frowed when he realized Cain wasn’t with her.    
  
“Mr. Garrison is still in the car. I just… wanted to brief you on his condition. Is it ok if I come inside?” he nodded, leaving the door open as they moved over to the couch.    
  
“So you’ve seen him and know the extent of his physical injuries. But what that isn’t going to tell you is his mental state. He has been having PTSD and anxiety attacks pretty regularly. They’ve gotten better with medication and therapy but it’s likely to be something he struggles with for the rest of his life. As far as his physical state is concerned- He still isn’t able to walk without assistance. It’s taken time for the leg wound to heal and he hasn’t been fitted for a prosthetic yet. The burns are healing well. I’d say we’re at about 98%,” he just nodded, feeling his throat tighten up.    
  


“If you’re ready I’ll bring him in?”    
  
“Y-yeah… yes,” Pratt followed her to the door and watched as she rolled a wheelchair around and opened the door to the small compact car before helping Cain into it. It took every ounce of self control he had to stay by the door and not run out to greet him.   
  
“Pratt…” Cain wouldn’t look him in the eye as the nurse rolled him up the sidewalk and into the house. A stab of guilt twisted itself in Staci’s gut. They hadn’t even called each other by their last names when they were mad at each other. 

“Cain,” his eyes burned as he tried to keep himself from crying. The nurse rolled Cain into the bedroom helped him into the bed. She closed the door behind her as she came back into the living room and found Staci trembling as he sat on the couch. 

Pratt just… deflated. The pint sized nurse tried her best to console him as he sobbed and started to hyperventilate. He felt hands on either side of his face and just faintly heard her voice instructing him to breathe. And he did… sucking in shuddering breaths as he sat there on the couch.

“These next few weeks are going to be difficult but you can get through this. He chose to come home to you for a reason, Mr. Pratt. Things might be tense for a while. He’s been through a lot both physically and mentally… Just give him time,” she smiled sweetly and helped him get settled on the couch with a glass of water before she left. He couldn’t bring himself to face Cain so he slept there… Hoping things might somehow be better in the morning.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things get tense... and awkward.

“Morning…” Things were decidedly not better in the morning. He’d overslept, he felt like shit… but he couldn’t just leave Cain laying in the bed all day and avoiding the inevitable. 

Cain grumbled and rolled over with a wince, burying his head under his blankets and ignoring him. Staci sighed and sat down on the edge of the bed. “Look I’m sorry ok? I didn’t want to upset you in the hospital… I thought it would be better to talk about it like this.”

“I remember what you said to me in the hospital,” he tossed the blanket back and sat up in the bed. 

“I’m sorry I lied about the letter I-”

“Fuck the letter for a minute. Before that. The… first time you visited when I was still in the coma,” he made a strangled noise as he realized what Cain had said.

“I meant what I said.”

“And yet you still lied about getting my letter? Why?” Cain sat the bed up a little straighter and tried to lean towards Pratt as they spoke. 

“Y-you’ve been through enough… you don’t need my shit on top of all that,” he shrugged and scooted closer.

“I don’t need you babying me Stace… We aren’t kids anymore. You fucked up and I fucked up… but don’t fucking… lie to me,” he’d managed to lean up and grab a hold of the collar of Staci’s shirt. His arms were shaking from the strain and IV was tugging at the corner of his elbow, but he was determined. 

“Cain I-” Staci was terrified to even touch him. The bandages still wrapped around his burns and IVs in his other arm. He flattened his hands and pressed them against his chest, feeling Cain’s heart hammer under his fingers. 

Their teeth clacked together as Staci felt himself pulled forward and warm lips pressed against his own. He curled his hands in the thin shirt Cain was wearing, whimpering slightly as teeth scraped against his bottom lip and a tongue pushed into his mouth. He felt them pull away moments later and heard a sharp wince of pain. Staci let go and immediately looked his friend over, terrified he’d hurt him in someway. 

“It’s fine. I’m fine. The IV pulled out,” Cain was smiling and licking as his lips, but Staci realized with horror that his hand was also clutching his left elbow and the comforter was splattered with blood. 

“Shit…” he fumbled into the bathroom for some gauze and bandage tape. The nurse wouldn’t be back until the next morning… and this wasn’t serious enough to warrant calling her in. He pressed a wad of gauze into the crook of Cain’s elbow and secured it there with some bandage tape. “There. That… That should do until tomorrow.” 

“It’s fine nurse,” he laughed and rubbed at it as his friend backpedaled towards the door. 

“I’m gonna... sleep on the couch if you need anything,” Pratt blurted before he scampered out of the room and shut the door behind him. Cain frowned as he heard the door click shut. Sticking his tongue in Staci’s mouth had only muddied the waters. And to see him run off to hide in the living room made his mood sour even more. He growled as he shoved all his covers into the floor in a fit of anger. And he eventually just curled up on his left side to sleep… unable to get out of the bed and too stubborn to ask Pratt for help.

Staci had laid on the couch for a while just listening. He winced and tried to hold back the tears as he heard the commotion from Cain’s room. Knowing he’d probably ruined his friendship. Knowing Cain was angry at him. And here he was laying on the couch like a coward. When it finally seemed liked his friend had quieted down Staci peeked his head in and frowned… seeing the blankets all thrown in the floor and Cain curled in on himself. He grabbed a couple clean blankets out of the laundry and tucked him in. He froze as he leaned in… about to kiss Cain’s forehead like he had in the hospital but now was not the time for that. 

“I’m sorry…” he murmured as he watched Cain’s sleep for a few minutes before he retreated back to the couch. 

________________

“Pratt... Pratt …” Staci startled awake sometime later, heart pounding as he heard Cain calling for him. He scrambled to his feet and burst through the door, his eyes bloodshot and heart hammering. 

“Areyouok? Wh’as wrong?!” he was bouncing on the balls of his feet, eyes flicking around the room, looking for anything obviously out of place. 

“Dude. Chill the fuck out. I… I just need to piss,” Cain’s mouth crinkled up at the corners. Even after 10 years, Staci was still like an over-exuberant puppy. Skidding into the room at the slightest hint of distress. 

“Oh. O h! Right…” but Pratt found himself frozen in place with uncertainty. The events from last night still fresh on his mind.

“Just help me up. Tired of that fucking chair,” Cain tossed his covers back and swung his leg over the bed. Staci hesitated at first, taking in the sight of his friend’s body. He could see scar tissue peeking out of the bandages, and blood had soaked through the gauze over where the IV had pulled out. He moved and slid under Cain’s left side to support him as the shuffled to the bathroom. 

“Do you want to sit d-” 

“It ain’t nothing you haven’t seen Pratt…” Cain sighed, unsure of how to go about doing this in the least awkward way possible… short of asking Staci to hold his dick. 

“Just… hold my sides?” Staci settled his hands around Cain’s waist, freeing up his good hand and allowing him to use the restroom and wash his hands. “Can we… can I go sit in the living room? I’ve been laying in a hospital bed for months now. Tired of staring at the walls.”

“Yeah… yeah of course,” they moved out onto the couch together. Staci eventually ended up sitting with his head in his lap as they watched TV. “Are you hungry?”

“Yeah a little,” Cain yawned and moved to lean against the arm of the couch instead. “Just- nothing too heavy ... And don’t set the kitchen on fire.”

“That was one time Cain…. One time,” he smiled as he scurried off to the kitchen to make some fried eggs and some toast. They both knew Staci could just about burn water, but breakfast he could manage. 

“Pratt... We should talk,” Cain went ahead and broke the ice as his friend returned with two plates of food. A tv tray was folded out in front of him so he could eat and Staci moved to the other end of the couch with his own food.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is quite possibly the slowest of all slow burns but I promise Cain will end up with Jacob... eventually.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is a small chapter to bridge the gap between pre-game Cain and Staci and where Cain's "cannon" begins.

“Ok… ok let-let’s talk,” he nodded and picked at his breakfast nervously.

“About that letter-”

“I said I was sorry Cain… I-”

“Listen for second… I want you to know why I sent it in the first place ok? I didn’t- I didn’t want to die knowing I hadn’t been honest with you … and with myself. I still lo-I still care about you. You’re my best friend. The only person I really have left in my life that’s worth a damn…” 

“I thought… When I got that phone call and then your letter I thought you had died. I thought…” Staci made a strange hiccuping sound and tried not to cry as Cain grabbed his hand. He rubbed his thumb along the back of Cain’s hand, his cheeks wet with tears as his resolve crumbled.

“I won’t apologize for sending it, because I needed you to know, but… I wish it had gotten here after me. That I could have told you in person instead,” he set himself up a little straighter, scooted closer, and bumped up against Staci’s side. “I knew that you didn’t feel the same and it’s ok. You were happy with whatever his name was and it wasn’t my place to intrude.” 

Pratt opened his mouth to argue but, as always, Cain was right. That isn’t to say that he didn’t love him- he absolutely did. But now it was pretty clear his friend didn’t feel the same. “I’m sorr-”

“Stop apologizing. You can’t help how you feel and I can’t help that I developed feelings,” he waved Staci off, almost thankful for the interruption when the nurse knocked on the front door.   
She came in with a bag of additional supplies and a folder of reading material for Staci. Mostly just instructions and side effects for all the medications; symptoms to watch out for regarding overdose or allergic reactions.

“Good morning. I see you’ve finally gotten out of bed. That’s great!” she was all smiles as she say her bag down and knelt in front of him. “We’re gonna change your bandages today so I can show your friend here how it’s done.”

He just nodded as she spoke and gave Staci’s hand a squeeze, knowing this was going to hurt. She helped Cain pulled his shirt off before she carefully started peeling the old bandages away, showing Pratt how to do it without causing too much discomfort. There was pink healing skin underneath. It stretched all the way from just under his waistband and his scalp.

“These look good,” she soothed as he sucked in a breath and she gently rubbed some of the antibiotic ointment onto his burns. He nodded, not finding the air to respond, as he squeezed the life out of Staci’s hand.

“All done!” She smiled brightly after she finished wrapping fresh bandages and set about putting in a new IV. She rolled the IV poll out from the bedroom and easily slid a new one in, the small prick in the crook of his elbow nothing to the burning pain along his side. 

“Try and take it easy for the rest of the day. I’m going to give you some pain meds to take the edge off. If you guys need anything before I come back tomorrow just give me a call.” She cleaned up the old bandages and injected a syringe full of something into the IV line before she left. 

“Sorry…” Cain murmured as he let go of Pratt’s hand, the skin already darkening. He sank a little further against the arm of the chair as whatever she’d given him kicked in.

“S’fine,” he waved it off and rubbed at the purple spot; it was nothing compared to Cain’s injuries. A mere bruise compared to all the trauma he’d been through. Staci sighed and moved into the bedroom to grab some blankets for him and tucked him him, not wanting to move him back to the bed. “Are you comfortable here?”

“Mhmm... “ he was half asleep by then and snuggled into the couch. Staci nodded and threw a blanket on the floor for himself so he could keep an eye on him. “Are you really going to lay in the floor?”

“I… yeah?” Cain made a sleepy giggling sound and nudged him with his foot after he answered. 

“Go sleep in my bed you nerd. You already gave up your room for me. I’m not going to let you sleep in the floor Stace,” he nudged him with his foot again and peeked over his blankets. 

“Ok… ok,” Staci took his blanket and moved towards the bedroom. 

“G’night.” Cain yawned loudly and snuggled into his blankets with a nod.  
“Night,” Staci stopped in the doorway for a moment and watched as his friend eventually fell asleep. Just to make sure everything was ok before he went to sleep.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So it begins :D

The next few weeks were much of the same. Bandage changes, medication, awkwardly skating around their issues. Cain had been fitted for his new prosthetic and it took him a while to get used to it and to adjust to all of his new found freedom. About six months after Cain had come home, he went to work with Staci for his first ride along. He even managed to make it into the firing range for a few rounds before going back home to relax and have a few beers.

“Thanks for letting me tag along Probie ,” Cain snorted. He’d been busting Pratt’s balls all day for Hudson’s nickname. Even though he’d been with the Hope County Sheriff’s department for almost 5 years… he was still technically the newest person. And Hudson reveled in reminding him of it every chance she got. 

“For the record… I’ve worked with all of them for the last 5 years,” Staci took a swig from his beer and knocked it against Cain’s. It was officially Cain’s first beer since he’d finished the bulk of his medication. 

“And yet you still let them push you around?” Pratt scowled at him… but he did have a point. Staci was a doormat and people would walk all over him without much protest. It was just in his nature to be a people pleaser. 

“It’s not like that Cain… I just… It’s easier to not make any waves. I’ve got a good job there,” he could feel his friend judging him and smiled as he took another drink. “And besides… after today maybe you’ll be probie someday.” 

Cain stiffened a bit… unsure of how that would work. Would they even hire him? Did he want to get back into something like that so soon? And then he just felt guilty for wasting Pratt’s time… for taking up his space. “I… I don’t think I’m ready for that Stace. Not so soon.“

“Hey hey hey… no. I wanted you to go with me, to meet everyone, and see the station. But it wasn’t to goad you into jumping into something you aren’t ready for. I just ... “ he paused, trying to swallow down the knot that had clumped in his throat. “If and when you wanna get back to work you have a job with the Sheriff’s Department. But … when is up to you Cain.”

He nodded, seeing how anxious Staci had become, and leaned back against the couch. He sighed and rubbed his temples, feeling like he’d made everything just that much worse. He’d made his best friend suffer through his night terrors and his years of wondering where he was and how he was doing. And Pratt did. After ten years he welcomed Cain back without even a second thought. “I know you’re just looking out for me … Don’t sweat it”

They knocked back a couple more beers and crashed on the couch for the night, Staci half sprawled in Cain’s lap and open-mouthed snoring by morning. Cain, on the other hand, had slept surprisingly well; comforted by the weight and warmth. “Hey sleepin’ beauty get up. I gotta piss.” 

Pratt startled, his jaw clicking shut as he fell into the floor with a soft ooph . Cain nearly doubled over from laughing so hard, gracefully stepping over his glaring sleep addled friend and shuffling off into the bathroom. Staci laughed once he was awake enough to realize what had happened and curled up in the floor to go back to sleep. 

They fell into a comfortable routine. After a couple months of rehabilitation most of the medical stuff had been picked up, the bed gone, and now they just shared the old bed. It helped with Cain’s nightmares and Staci wasn’t ashamed to admit he slept better too. Things continued to settle. Pratt went back to work and Cain continued with his physical therapist and his psychologist. And they were both actively avoiding talking about what had happened that first night. 

And they continued to ignore it for a year and a half. Cain went through months of extensive physical therapy and he was meeting with a therapist once a week. She had suggested he get back to working if he felt he was able. So he started going to work officially with Staci. Just paperwork and going for ride alongs initially. Occasionally he got to go out on calls for noise complaints or animal calls. But Hope County was largely … free of conflict. Most of the locals would tell you as much. Nothing bad ever happens in Hope County. 

__________________

“Can I help you?” the big bear of man asked as Cain approached. And as he got closer they had a moment of looking each other over, assessing each other’s scars and sizing the other up. He hadn’t really taken to wearing his dog tags but he could see the eldest Seed brother’s hanging from his neck.

“Good afternoon. We got a call about a loose dog?” he felt stupid for even having to do this… but the county didn’t have enough money to hire an animal control officer. So it was the Sheriff Department’s responsibility if there were complaints. 

“Did Judas get out again?” he grumbled under his breath and whistled, Cain nearly jumping out of his skin as the large white… dog trotted up and plopped down at Jacob’s side. “My apologies… He’s 75% wolf and 25% stupid.” 

“A wolf-dog?”

“Found him after his mother was hit by a car. Lots of wolves around these mountains. I take it you’re new around here?” he moved out of his front door and leaned on his porch railing. 

“You… could say that. I…” he paused, not sure why he was sharing this information, but continued,” I was deployed overseas for the past 10 years. Honorable discharge.” 

“You were in Afghanistan,” Jacob’s voice seemed to lose the initial edge it had and he coughed. “Gulf War. 82nd Air Division.”

“Hoorah!” Cain blushed when they said it at the same time and Jacob’s lips turned up at the corners. “I’m shit scared of heights so … I wasn’t air division but my bunk buddies were.”

“I’m guessing you ended up in the system?” he motioned to Cain’s right side and then brushed his hand over his own arms. Cain nodded in response. “Did they throw you out after the money dried up?”

“Yeah; thankfully St- My friend offered to take care of me and let me stay with him. Otherwise I don’t know where I would have ended up...” he rubbed at his scars subconsciously. 

“I was homeless for a while until John found me,” Jacob stood up as Judas nuzzled between his legs and licked his hand. “It’s all right boy” 

“You’d think they would treat us a little better,” Cain grumbled and shoved his hands into his jacket pockets. 

“You would think,” the red head scruffed his fingers through the dog’s hair and sighed. 

“Well… it seems like all is ok up here. If you have any problems with the neighbors making complaints again just give me a call,” he fished one of the little cards the department had given him and handed it to Jacob.

“I appreciate it. Most of the people at the department just kind of slap a ticket on the door and leave,” he shrugged and stuck the card in the pocket of his worn army jacket.

“Guess I’m still learning,” Cain smiled and turned to walk back to his car but winced, feeling his leg rub painfully against his prosthetic. He still hadn’t adjusted to walking with it entirely, and with being back on patrols he was now dealing with chafing and blisters on his thigh. He jumped as he felt something wet bump against his hand. Judas huffed and stared back at him, his tail thumping softly against Cain’s leg. 

“S’ok puppy,” he murmured and petted the soft white fur as he gathered himself. “I’m all right.” The wolf-dog grumbled at him and licked his hand again. 

“Ok ok it’s a little sore but I’m fine?” Judas barked at him and nudged his hand before excitedly licking his fingers. “Go on back to the house before your dad gets mad at me for stealing you.” 

Judas made a yip sound and trotted off back to the porch as Cain eased down into the front seat of his patrol car. He expected Jacob to be leaning over the rail of the porch but the man had disappeared. And he drove off completely unaware of the affect his offhand comment to Judas had affected the older man.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the biggest divergence from the original story... I felt like the way this goes now feels more natural. Of course it is heavy canon divergence but *le shrugs*


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Roping in the little bro now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some descriptions of wounds and violence. Nothing outside of canon typical FC5.

Cain’s first meeting with the youngest Seed sibling was far from... pleasant. He’d been crashed on Staci’s couch after a double shift, he had already taken his prosthetic off and started to drift off when he felt his cell phone vibrate.

“You rang?” he grumbled, knowing it was Hudson covering the night shift that night. Suspicious she wasn’t just pulling his leg in some kind of attempt at ‘hazing’.

“I need you to drive out to Seed Ranch for a welfare check.”

“A welfare check… at 2 o’clock in the fucking morning…” he grumbled and threw his covers off. Not matter how much he detested it he wasn’t the kind of person that was ever good at telling people no; even to the detriment to himself.

“John Seed has been MIA for the last week an-”

“He’s been missing for a week and we’re checking on him now?”

“Shut it probie… He was scheduled to come back from a business trip yesterday but no one has seen him. Just drive out to the ranch and make sure everything is kosher. Then your grumpy ass can go back to bed,” he could hear her smirking before the line dropped. Cain sighed and pulled his leg back on, unable to keep himself from wincing as it rubbed against the blisters from earlier.

He was angry as he started out on his drive… but the closer he got to Seed Ranch the more concerned he became. The property itself seemed deserted and the underbrush and land seemed like it hadn’t been cared for in months. And, from everything he’d heard about John Seed, this was not how things usually looked. Pulling up to the sprawling mansion left him even more unsettled. The front doors were hanging wide open, windows were broken, and the navy ‘69 Camaro he’d seen John driving was dented and busted up in the -open- garage.

“John?” there was broken glass all over the landing, his boots crunching underneath of it as he moved inside. “My name is Cain… I’m with the Sheriff’s Department. If you can make some kind of noise or something to let me know where you are?” he bounced his flashlight around the room nervously, unnerved by how disheveled the place looked, and the collection of random taxidermy animals that had been strewn in the floor.

He heard something thump upstairs and grumbled as he limped his way up the main staircase. More glass and broken bottles were littered along them and Cain was starting to wonder if someone had just ransacked the place when John was away. The faint whimpering sound caught his attention again and he moved towards it. He found himself in the doorway of a large bedroom with navy blue walls and furniture. Somehow he got the impression this was John’s room… if the man’s car and wardrobe were anything to go by.

“John? I’m Officer Cain Garrison with the Sheriff’s Department. We were asked to do a welfare check,” his flashlight glinted across a dark wet spot on the carpet, whatever it was pooling under the bathroom door. He crept forward and pushed the door open, meeting the resistance of something heavy. He shoved a little harder and slid into the room, finding John collapsed in the floor and covered in blood. The youngest Seed reeked of booze and blood, the sleeves of his dress shirt were rolled up and his wrists were covered in bruises and cuts.

“Shit… shit shit shit….” Cain felt himself starting to panic as he pushed his fingers against John’s throat to feel for a pulse, and found more suspicious looking bruises ringed around the man’s neck.

“Dn’t…” it was faint but he’d heard it, watching John struggle to move.

“John? You need to go to a hospital... “

“Nuh... “ Cain’s chest tightened as the man moaned in pain and curled in on himself. The slices in back of his dress shirt splitting open to reveal more cuts and welts.

“Who did this do you John?” he pulled open the bathroom cabinet to look for a first aid kit. Most of the bottles under the sink were fancy shampoos and soaps. He found a small box of bandages and antiseptic spray, but not much more. “We need to get you some medical supplies… this is ridiculous.”

John whimpered as he was rolled onto his side, the movement making the welts and cuts on his back spread open. Cain tried his best to clean most of the blood and vomit off his lips and face. He glanced down and could see the angry red tops of letters sliced through John’s shirt. “Are you still with me John?”

“Jacob…?” he tried to grab for Cain’s hand but couldn’t muster the strength to even lift it off the ground.

“Did your brother do this?” he recoiled at the thought… when he’d met the eldest Seed he would never have thought he was capable of something like this.

“No… no,” John was desperately trying to reach for something. Cain realized there was a cell phone that looked like it had been kicked aside and was sitting against the toilet. “Do you want me to call your brother?”

He started dialing as soon as he figured out what he meant. The phone rang for a while… and Cain couldn’t say he was surprised. It was nearly 3am… most people were asleep. “Hello?” a rough gravelly voice answered.

“Jacob? This is Officer Cain Garrison… I’m here with your brother John. He’s … not really able to speak at the moment,” John whimpered loud enough that he heard Jacob suck in a breath.

“I will be there in 20 minutes with supplies. Lock up as best you can and be on the lookout for out for Joseph. This… this isn’t the first time this has happened.” The phone clicked off abruptly and left him flabbergasted.

Cain stuffed his phone back into his pocket and set about starting to tend to John’s wounds. What was left of the black vest and blue button up he cut away, revealing a jagged ‘LUST’ carved into John’s abdomen. His ribs were nearly black and blue, with a few distinct shoe shaped bruises. At first he’d thought John might have cut his wrists but as he cleaned out the wounds he realized it was rope burns. He tried to be a gentle as he could with the welts and cuts on his back… but John screamed as soon as the antiseptic touched them.

“I’m sorry…” he set the gauze and spray aside for a moment and let John gather himself, some of the life seeming to creep back into him as Cain tended his wounds.

“You… should go,” he’d finally found the strength to speak and that was what he had said.

“And have your big brother kick my ass? No thanks,” Cain went back to cleaning some of the smaller wounds along John’s wrists and chest.

“You met Jacob?” he was barely whispering but it was a relief just to hear him talking, instead of just laying there in silence.

“I did, and I met Judas too,” he hadn’t realized he was smiling, but John had noticed and the youngest Seed’s mouth ticked up at the corners.  
  


“S’good dog,” John slurred, voice hitching as the antiseptic dripped into the words carved in his stomach. Cain just smiled and moved to help John sit up, wanting to get a better feel of his ribs to make sure they weren’t broken. He propped him up against the cabinet and carefully checked his ribs for fractures. John hissed and tried to jerk away from his as his fingers prodded the darkest bruises… feeling the cracked ribs.   
  
“You’ve got a few broken ribs… He really did a number on you…”    
  
“Joseph has never touched me-”   
  
“But-”   
  
“I … didn’t say he didn’t do this. He has never physically touched me. But his men do it. I… there were about eight of them this time,” he winced and squeezed his eyes shut as a trickle of blood leaked from his nose. John’s eyes shot up as he heard something from downstairs and Cain’s hand flew to his service pistol.    
  
“John?” Jacob’s voice cut through the tension and the sound of his footsteps and paws pittering on the ground grew closer.    
  
“We’re in here. In the bathroom,” Cain spoke up as he put the safety back on his gun and holstered it. Judas sniffed into the room first and protectively plopped down next to John as Jacob followed and kneeled beside his brother with a large duffle bag of supplies. 

“I need you to watch the door…” he jumped, too busy watching Jacob methodically go about tending to his brother’s wounds. “My brother has ears everywhere. That includes your sheriff’s department… If we could keep this between us-”   
  
“I- yeah. Of course...” Cain turned back towards the door with gun in hand. The comment about Joseph disturbed him. Bubbling up a level of paranoia he hadn’t felt in a long time. He glanced over his shoulder as John cried out in agony. Jacob’s hands seemed steady as they wrapped up his ribs and eased him back against the sink.    
  
Some of the color seemed to have returned to John’s face and he was breathing a little easier, but he still looked rough. His left eye had started to swell shut and the bruises around his neck seemed to be growing darker. It hit him in that moment that things in Hope County were not as quaint and quiet as he thought. He was drawn from his thoughts as Judas’ whimpered and bumped his wet nose against Cain’s hand.   
  
“S’ok boy,” Cain patted the wolf dog’s head as he noticed that Jacob was watching the two of them with a curious look on his face. 

  
“He seems to have taken to you deputy… He usually doesn’t like people,” John croaked with as much of a smile as he could manage. Cain felt his face heat up, his cheeks reddened as he looked back at Jacob, and realized he was flustered as well.    
  
“I… uh…” Cain cleared his throat and awkwardly went back to petting Judas, but the wolf-dog yipped at him and nudged at his leg with his nose. Jacob coughed and went back to fussing over his brother’s injuries. Cain could tell his cheeks were flushed but he didn’t want to push the issue when John’s health was far more important at the moment.    


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is where I'm currently at with my revision. Please let me know what you think. Any questions/comments/feedback are greatly appreciated. It's just me working on this. I don't have an editor or anything like that. So please forgive any mistakes.


End file.
